Cyber security leaders from government, industry and academia gathered at Parliament House this week for the second annual Women in Cyber Security Summit, where speakers called for stronger action to improve diversity across the country’s rapidly growing cyber workforce.
The event, organised by the Australian Information Security Association, brought together senior figures to discuss practical steps for building stronger talent pipelines, creating more inclusive career pathways.
Women currently make up just 17 per cent of Australia’s cyber security workforce despite rising demand for skilled professionals.
Scarlett McDermott, board director at the Australian Information Security Association, said improving diversity was essential to strengthening Australia’s national cyber resilience.
“Cyber security is one of the most critical capabilities for Australia’s future, and we simply cannot afford to overlook half the talent pool,” McDermott said in a statement.
“Diverse teams bring different ways of thinking, different problem-solving approaches and different life experiences. In cyber security that diversity of thinking is a genuine operational advantage.”
She added that events such as the Women in Cyber Security Summit provide an opportunity for leaders across the ecosystem to focus on practical initiatives that can expand the workforce and create clearer pathways for women entering the field.
International cybersecurity expert Renée Burton, vice president of threat intelligence at Infoblox, said increasing female representation in cyber security should be treated as a strategic priority for the industry.
“Having more women in cybersecurity must be a strategic imperative across the industry. Cyber-crime in the Asia-Pacific region is only going to get more difficult to tackle, driven in part by constantly evolving AI threats,” Burton said.
“Given the road ahead, events like the Women in Cybersecurity Summit are critical. I’m proud to be involved in an event that both advocates for women in the industry and connects influential leaders to address the glaring need for diversity in the cybersecurity workforce.”
Alongside the summit, AISA also announced the recipients of its 2026 Cyber Security Scholarships, which support emerging professionals as they begin careers in the sector.
The 2026 scholarship recipients are Paige Crabtree, Jasmine Rizwan, Emily Zhang, Nicola Hall and Alice Kjar.
Megan Spielvogel, general manager of the Australian Information Security Association, said the scholarships play an important role in building the next generation of cyber professionals.
“We are incredibly proud to support these outstanding scholarship recipients as they begin their careers in cyber security,” Spielvogel said.
“Developing the next generation of cyber professionals is critical to Australia’s digital future, and these scholarships are designed to help talented individuals access the opportunities and networks that will support their success.”
David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.